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Diogenes. He said it was a terrible thing, if athletes and cithara players master their belly and pleasures, the ones for the sake of their voice, the others, for their body; yet for the sake of self-control, no one will despise these things. (744) Demonax. Some rule over cities, but are slaves to women. Antiphon. Whoever has neither desired nor touched shameful or evil things, is not self-controlled; for there is nothing over which he has gained mastery, that he might show himself to be disciplined. Of Epictetus. No one is free, who does not rule himself. Of Pythagoras. The strength of a soul without passion is self-control. For this is the light of a soul without passion. To be a slave to passions is more grievous than to tyrants. It is impossible for one who is a slave to passions and is overcome by passions to be free. Of Sophocles. For those who are well-born, it is shameful to live shamefully. Demosthenes. The sensible man must always try to make his reason stronger than his desires. Demetrius. Demetrius of Phalerum said that witty youths should fear their parents in their homes; in the street, those they meet; and in desolate places, themselves. Menedemus. Menedemus, when a certain youth said, “It is a great thing to obtain whatever one desires,” said, “It is a much greater thing not to desire anything one ought not.” Bias. Bias of Priene said: Blessed is the one who is rich and enjoys what he desires; but the one who does not desire is more blessed. Of Xanthus. Xanthus the wise, seeing at the doors of a comely woman a house-destroying man, said, “This man buys a small pleasure at a great risk.” Of Charicleia. For the exchange of glances between lovers becomes a reminder of the one who suffers, and the sight ignites the mind, just as matter becomes kindling for a fire. For an erotic word is kindling for desire.

FOURTH DISCOURSE.

Concerning courage and strength. Matt. 16. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

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∆ιογένης. ∆εινόν ἔλεγεν, εἰ οἱ μέν ἀθληταί καί οἱ κιθαρῳδοί, γαστρός καί ἡδονῶν κρατοῦσιν, οἱ μέν τῆς φωνῆς χάριν· οἱ δέ, τοῦ σώματος· σωφροσύνης δέ ἕνεκα, οὐδείς τούτων καταφρονήσει. (744) ∆ημώνακτ. Ἔνιοι πόλεων μέν δεσπόζουσι, γυναιξί δέ δουλεύουσι. Ἀντιφῶντ. Ὅστις δέ τῶν αἰσχρῶν, ἤ τῶν κακῶν, μήτε ἐπεθύμησε, μήτε ἥψατο, οὐκ ἔστι σώφρων· οὐ γάρ ἔσθ᾿ ὅτου κρατήσας, αὐτός ἑαυτόν κόσμιον παρέχεται. Ἐπικτήτου. Οὐδείς ἐλεύθερος, ἑαυτοῦ μή κρατῶν. Πυθαγόρου. Ῥώμη ψυχῆς ἀπαθοῦς, σωφροσύνη. Αὕτη γάρ ψυχῆς ἀπαθοῦς φῶς ἐστιν. ∆ουλεύειν παθεσι χαλεπώτεερον ἤ τυράννοις. Ἐλεύθερον ἀδύνατον εἶναι τόν πάθεσι δουλεύοντα, καί ὑπό παθῶν κρατούμενον. Σοφοκλέους. Ζῇν αἰσχρόν αἰσχρῶς τοῖς καλῶς πεφυκόσι. ∆ημοσθ. ∆εῖ τον εὖ φρονοῦντα, τόν λογισμόν ἀεί τῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν κρείττω πειρᾶσθαι ποιεῖν. ∆ημήτριος. ∆ημήτριος ὁ Φαληρεύς, τούς ἀστείους εἶπε τῶν νέων, ἐν μέν ταῖς οἰκίαις τούς γονεῖς δεῖνα ἰδεῖσθαι· ἐν δέ τῇ ὁδῷ, τούς ἀπαντῶντας· ἐν δέ ταῖς ἐρημίαις, ἑαυτούς. Μενέδημος. Μενέδημος, νεανίσκου τινός εἰπόντος, Μέγα ἐστί τό τυχεῖν ὧν ἄν τις ἐπιθυμῇ, εἶπεν· Πολλῷ μεῖζόν ἐστι τό μηδέν ἐπιθυμεῖν ὧν μή δεῖ. Βίας. Βίας ὁ Πριηνεύς, εἶπε· Μακάριός ἐστιν ὁ πλουτῶν, καί ὧν ἐπιθυμεῖ ἀπολαύων· ὁ δέ μή ἐπιθυμῶν, μακαριώτερος. Ξάνθου. Ξάνθος ὁ σοφός, θεασάμενος ἐπί θύραις εὐπρεποῦς γυναικός ἄνδρα οἰκοφθόρον, ἔφη· Οὗτος ἡδονήν μικράν ὠνεῖται μεγάλῳ κινδύνῳ. Χαρικλείας. Ἡ γάρ τῶν ἐρωτικῶν ἀντίβλεψις, ὑπόμνησις τοῦ πάσχοντος γίνεται, καί ἀναφλέγει τήν διάνοιαν ἡ θέα, καθάπερ ὕλη πυρί γενομένη ὑπέκκαυμα. Ὑπέκκαυμα γάρ ἐπιθυμίας λόγος ἐρωτικός.

ΛΟΓΟΣ ∆´.

Περί ἀνδρείας καί ἰσχύος. Μαθ. ις´. Εἴ τις θέλῃ ὀπίσω μου ἐλθεῖν, ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτόν, καί ἀράτω τόν σταυρόν αὑτοῦ, καί ἀκολουθείτω μοι.